Destati
by fatalfeline
Summary: Part one of two. In the background of all that has happened in Kingdom Hearts there has been a lady named Okari, helping out in secret. This is her story, and you are welcome to read.
1. One Stormy Night Long Ago

**Destati**

by fatalfeline

Chapter 1: One Stormy Night Long Ago

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but I do own a few characters that appear in this story.

* * *

A storm clouded the night, allowing only a few shafts of moonlight to shine through in ragged patches. The rain fell hard, drops catching the moonlight to glint silver-white. The water attacked the normally peaceful neighborhood. However, all was not peaceful this evening; even the birds could tell that something was amiss.

A wide road cut between the rows of quaint houses. On the side of this road stood a small figure, a little girl the age of four, being soaked to the bone. She was just a silhouette, no more than a shadow, but you could see some of her features with the occasional flash of lightning.

Through the raging weather came the sounds of people walking across the pavement. A small group of men appeared, dressed in long black cloaks. A hood covered each of their faces. The one in the lead had a slightly tattered red cloth hidden beneath his hood, a shred of which was showing, that fluttered in the icy winds.

"Master, do you think it wise to travel the streets in this time of night in this kind of weather?" asked a hooded man beside the leader.

"Even, we have guards with us. We are perfectly safe," he assured the younger man.

Even shook his head and said, "But you've only just become the king. And if anything happened to you, your sister would banish us all!" The surrounding men nodded in fearful agreement.

"Do not question my-" The man was cut off by what he saw before him.

Right in front of him stood the small child, now saturated with cold water and fear, holding tightly onto a soaked teddy bear. She was looking down, causing her long raven-black hair to conceal her eyes.

"Are you all right?" he instantly said, dropping to his knees in front of her.

"Master!" protested Even. His outburst was ignored.

"Are you all right?" he repeated, more concerned at her lack of response. This time he set a gloved hand on her tiny shoulder. Her head snapped up, revealing large, empty hazel eyes. She blinked several times as if coming out of a trance. Suddenly, she leaned forward and clenched onto him tightly.

"Please help!" she begged, pointing to a small house to one side of the street. "Mommy won't wake up!" She started sobbing, salty tears mixing with the water already covering her face. The leader turned to face Even.

"Go inside," he ordered urgently. Even and several of the men hastily entered the house the girl indicated. He slowly pushed the clinging girl away from himself. In the rain the girl seemed pathetic and desperate for help. He hesitated several times but eventually he removed the hood from his face his hood and drew the red cloth out of his coat. It was a very long, broad scarf. He started wrapping it loosely around the shivering child, and she looked up to see his face for the first time.

He was in his late twenties, although his deep voice made him sound older. Bright yellow eyes were eternally held in a look of command, wisdom, and regality, and his slightly pointed ears clearly showed status. He also had light blonde hair that came down to his shoulders. Once the girl was covered up enough that she wouldn't freeze, he stood straight and hurriedly pulled his hood back over his head.

They waited for a while, the girl never flinching at the occasional booms of thunder. She occasionally sobbed, but otherwise had resumed her trancelike state. She was careful to be close to the man.

"What's your name, mister?" she asked out of nowhere. Before he could answer, Even and the others returned. When Even glanced in the girl's direction, he was gripped by sudden shock. He motioned at the cloth around the girl, stunned into silence.

"Don't question my judgment. Report," the leader said sternly. Even whispered the report to him, hoping to hide the news from the girl's ears. She made no effort to eavesdrop, but was able to distinguish a few words. She hardly understood any of them, especially "murdered" and "investigation". The man nodded glumly when Even had finished.

"You are going to come with us, child," he said to her, holding out a gloved hand. She stood there for a moment, staring at her house mournfully, before she grabbed his hand with her small one. They walked away from the neighborhood and into town. They passed by all of the closed shops until they walked up the stairs through the Bailey and to the front gates of the castle. The grand structure was one of Radiant Garden's greatest wonders. The gates opened silently, and they entered the castle itself. The entrance hall was warm, the velvety crimson carpeting a welcome respite to the girl's bare feet.

"This is my home," the man explained to her as he unzipped his cloak and handed it to a white-clad servant. Another servant came to take the now-soaked scarf off of the little girl. A maid arrived to get the girl cleaned up when the man remembered something.

"Oh, I have forgotten my manners. My name is Ansem," he said, bowing deeply.

She grinned at him, her hazel eyes sparkling with renewed hope. "I'm Okari."


	2. New Life

Chapter 2: New Life

Okari was taken into the maids' chambers. Two other maids were hastily setting up a wide tub and filling it with hot water. The maid that had brought her here peeled her small damp nightgown from her cold skin and put her in the tub the instant another maid turned off the faucet. The hot steaming water was bliss against her icy skin. She was getting comfortable in the tub, when the trio of maids had each seized a bar of soap and a washcloth.

They washed and rinsed her hair until it was completely clean. Then the scrubbed every inch of her body until Okari was fairly certain her skin was the color of the carpet in the entrance to the castle. She never complained through any of this because she was so used to frequent rigorous scrubbings from her mother. After what seemed to be an eternity, the maids took her out of the tub and patted her dry with clean white towels.

Before she knew it, Okari was wearing a white dress that fit her perfectly. The material was so soft that she couldn't help but stroke it. One maid brushed her long black hair until it was silky and another put little slippers on her feet. Then she was led through a maze of great halls until they arrived in a white room.

Paintings and blueprints were hung on the walls and books were neatly placed in many bookshelves. In the center of the room was a long desk where multiple books and essays were scattered about it. She saw Ansem sitting at that desk watching them come in. The maid accompanying Okari put a small chair down for her. Okari sat down and the maid, after curtseying, left the room.

"Now, Okari, your mother has been… murdered," he said uncomfortably. Okari blinked, confused. Ansem shook his head and continued speaking.

"Do you know what being dead means?"

Okari thought for a moment and then said, "One time Mommy got me a fishy, I named him Mythril 'cause he was really shiny. I'd always wanted a fishy, but Mommy said that if I really wanted him I had to take extra-special care of him. So I fed Mythril every day and talked to him a lot. But one day I was gonna feed him when I saw him floating at the top. I thought he was sleeping, but Mommy saw me looking at him sleeping.

"So she came over and I said, 'Mommy, how long is Mythril gonna be asleep?' and she said, 'I'm sorry, but Mythril's going to sleep forever.' So I said, 'Why?' and so she said, 'Because his heart wanted to leave, Okari.' I started crying and said, 'But why does his heart want to leave me? I took really good care of him.' And then Mommy hugged me and started crying too. Mommy cries a lot, but I don't like it when she does. So I think she told me later that being dead is what happened to Mythril. Is that what dead means, Mr. Ansem?"

Ansem slowly nodded. "More or less, but the same thing has happened to your mother. Her heart did not leave because she was ill or she wanted to leave, but because someone made her heart leave. That is one of the most awful things one can do, and it has happened to your mother. You will not see her again, Okari. I'm sorry."

The truth stuck Okari like a slap in the face. _You will not see her again._ She could feel the weight on her heart of an empty sadness that she had never felt before. She felt the same weight in her throat; she swallowed before she could feel the tears coming to her eyes. The little girl couldn't help but cry. She cried for a long time. Ansem looked solemnly at her, wanting to comfort her.

"Aw, sweetie, it's going to be all right," said a voice behind her. A warm hand draped itself on her shoulder. Okari's sobs died down a little and she turned her head to see whom the hand belonged to. It was a beautiful lady in a pretty blue dress. Her long hair tumbled across her shoulders to her back in deep red locks, which also framed a young, kind smiling face that was tinged with solemn sympathy. In her hair she wore a simple silver tiara set with an iridescent opal in the center.

"I'm Hemera, Ansem's younger sister," she said, before sitting down in a chair beside her. Okari noticed only one thing that would indicate the two were related: Hemera had the same golden yellow eyes as her brother. Before they could say anything she yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"You're sleepy?" Hemera asked.

"It has been a very long night for her," Ansem said. A servant silently entered the room.

"You called, sir?" he said before bowing.

"Show this girl to her room," Ansem ordered.

"I'll come along. We can talk later, brother," said Hemera.

The servant led the two through the many halls and corridors until they came to a set of ornately carved white double doors. She handed Hemera the key and bowed before leaving.

"This is your room," she said and then she opened the door and turned on the lights. Okari gasped at the room's beauty. The walls were deep blue with stars and planets littered across it, and a large crescent moon was painted on the ceiling. She spotted something sitting down in the bend of the crescent. It was a painted small girl in a dress of silver with long red hair and yellow eyes. She looked curiously at Hemera, who nodded.

"You know, this used to be my room. But I moved to a new one when I turned ten. Whenever a little princess comes to sleep in this room, her image is painted in the moon over the last one. Yes, that's me as a little girl," she explained.

"How old are you now?" Okari asked.

"Seventeen years. Now I think it's about time you go to bed." Hemera picked her up and tucked her into the large fluffy bed. Okari sank into the mattress and fell asleep instantly. The next day would be the start of her new life.


	3. Growing

Chapter 3: Growing

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts, although I do own some of the characters.

The next day she was taken to the throne room. It was the largest and by far the grandest room in the entire castle. Ansem was seated in a large throne, and Hemera was seated in a smaller throne next to him. The small girl felt intimidated by the sheer space of the room as the walked down the crimson carpet leading to the thrones.

"Okari, we have agreed to let you live here at the castle. If, when you get older, decide to leave; we will not stop you," Ansem announced.

"But remember you'll always have a home to return to. We'll take very good care of you," said Hemera. Those words brought back her old memories of her beloved Mythril. This time _she_ felt like the pet fish, being loved and fed and looked at through the glass. She knew that these people would take great care of her and that they wouldn't need to experience the sorrow of seeing her floating at the top of fishbowl.

So Okari lived at the castle. As she grew, she often went to visit the town. She was a familiar face around the town and she made a lot of friends there. Although it felt like a short time, ten years had flown by.

The entire castle was celebrating her fourteenth birthday, but no one could ever suspect what a significant year this would be for her life. Everyone was happy, and she especially looked forward to these parties because they were the only times that she would see Ansem smile. She had a deep respect for him that surpassed hers for anyone else's. Hemera often took the kitchens by storm and baked one of her famous cakes for the parties.

That year her mind was set on what she wanted her career to be. One day she came into Ansem's study where, sure enough, he was working on papers. He always studied anything that intrigued him. This time he was finally getting to the bottom of the evolutionary path of the Chocobo, a large bird that ran across the vast plains of the southern side of the world of Radiant Garden.

"Ansem?" asked Okari quietly.

"Come in, Okari," Ansem said without looking up from his work.

"I've thought it all out and I've finally come up with what I'd like my career to be."

Ansem finally looked up from his work. He was very anxious to find out about her career choice. "Yes?"

"I'd like to be a castle guard!" she announced excitedly. Ansem looked a bit surprised.

"Hm? Is something the matter?" she asked.

"With all that you've learned and with so many different opportunities set out for you, wouldn't you like a career that would be slightly more… scientific or artistic?" he asked.

"No, I've made up my mind. For years I've always wanted to help you in anyway I can or even to protect you," said Okari.

"You care for me so deeply?" he asked, touched by her words.

"Oh yes, I've always respected you and I've always loved you like you were the father I never had. I feel the best way to help you is for me to be a castle guard. Now it's my turn to take care of you," she said.

"Then you pursue that dream. I have recieved word that Commander Loire is taking new trainees next week. Anyone from thirteen to twenty can volunteer," he told her.

Okari smiled and bowed deeply. "Thank you so much!" she said before heading out of the door. She had met Commander Laguna Loire before and he was very nice to her. So the next week she went to the training grounds to volunteer. She lined up with other trainees for the first lesson. She felt a little lost when she realized that she was the only girl and looked to be the youngest. A few of them waved to her, smiling and recognizing her. She waved back. And then suddenly Commander Loire came out and all of the trainees automatically stood at attention in a badly attempted straight line.

Laguna was a handsome man, not much older than the oldest trainees. He wore the blue uniform of the castle guard with the badge that showed his rank as a commander. He had long dark brown hair, which almost seemed black, and his calm blue eyes scanned the line of trainees.

He started pacing back and forth along the line. Once he finished pacing he stepped back he eyed them all. And then all of a sudden he held a hand to his mouth to stifle a snigger. All of them looked at him strangely.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I can't help it! You stand all serious in the sloppiest line I've ever seen. I'm really sorry if it sounds like I'm making fun of you guys, but if anyone else was here to teach you, they would've whipped you all into shape right away. I'm afraid I'll have to do the same. Hello, trainees, I'm Commander Loire, but I don't mind if you just call me Laguna," he said.

"What a loony," one boy whispered.

"Now, boys… and girl," Laguna said, nodding to Okari. "Let's get you straightened up." He took a long time to pull and push each person until they were all standing in a perfect line. "Being in a straight line is very important for castle duty. Also, you guys are standing _way _too close." He went to each person again to pull them apart so there was five feet of equal space between each person.

"That's better. Now, trainee work will be some of the hardest work you'll do on the way to becoming a guard. This will test you to see if you're physically and mentally right for the job. Some of you will go on, and some of you will fail. If all goes smoothly, in a few weeks we might be starting on some things that you all might be interested in, like combat and weapons. My specialty is guns but we're going to work on all sorts to see what weapon each of you will specialize in."

Everyone seemed excited for this. So after the first day of training finished, Okari went inside the castle. Ansem walked up to her right after she entered.

"Okari, may I ask if you would join me on a stroll?" he asked.

"Of course." The two exited the castle and went on a walk together all through the town, everyone smiling and waving at them before going on with their lives. Okari told Ansem all about her first training day. They shared many conversations during the walk, and as they were heading back, Ansem suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" Okari asked.

"I thought I heard something," he muttered before walking into a narrow alley they had just passed. Okari followed closely through the dimly lit alley. But then she spotted something on the ground ahead of them and pointed it out to Ansem. He quietly bent down to it, and they saw that it was a person, collapsed on the ground. Ansem lifted the body gently by the shoulders to bring him more into the light. It was a young man with long snow white hair.

"Okari, run to the castle and get help for this man," he told her. She obeyed without question and dashed off to the castle. Okari couldn't shake off this one feeling though: although the man was unconscious, something about him made her feel very uneasy, almost… frightened.


	4. Minuet in D Minor

Chapter 4: Minuet in D Minor

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for a few characters.

At the castle they took the strange man in and found out that he was very sick. The physicians of the castle took care of him until he was at full health. After he was let out Ansem questioned him and Okari accompanied him.

"What is your name?" asked Ansem. The man seemed to be in a daze, his dark orange eyes distant.

"Xehanort," he answered.

"Now, Xehanort, can you tell me where you live so we can return you home?"

"No," said Xehanort flatly.

"Why not?" Okari asked out of nowhere. Ansem politely shushed her.

"I don't remember. I don't remember anything except for my name."

Ansem took Xehanort in as his apprentice. Xehanort seemed to have an affinity for science and almost everything about him intrigued Ansem greatly. Okari continued trainee work and often stayed around to talk with Laguna. It wasn't long until they became great friends. One day Okari noticed a lady was watching them practice. Afterwards, Laguna pulled Okari aside.

"I'd like you to meet someone," he said. He led her to the lady who had been watching them.

"Hello," she said to Okari. She was very calm person with light brown eyes and brown hair with a yellow headband in it.

"This is my girlfriend, Raine. Raine, this is Okari," Laguna said.

"It's very nice to meet you, Okari," Raine said.

"Nice to meet you too," said Okari. They shook hands.

"I was interested in seeing Laguna work, so I came today. Now I see that I prefer to be the peaceful type," said Raine.

Okari smiled, but it almost seemed impossible for Raine to be anything _but_ the peaceful type.

One of Okari's favorite places in Radiant Garden Castle was the chapel. It was as old as the castle itself. Not only was it a beautiful piece of architecture, but it had an atmosphere of mystery that attracted Okari there constantly. There was one mystery about it that no one understood. If you listened hard enough, you could hear the faint sound of music.

Okari could always hear it clearly. It was an endless piece, or was it the same song repeating endlessly? It seemed to come from no particular place. Some speculated that it was an old spell cast by an ancient king hundreds of years ago. Others believed that it was caused by the ghosts of two talented twin brothers who were traveling musicians.

The legend goes that a very long time ago the twins came to play for the king of Radiant Garden at that time. The king was very pleased with their music and offered them a place in the royal orchestra. They declined the offer. The next day the brothers were found together in the chapel, dead from an unknown cause.

To Okari, she didn't care where the music came from, it was just _there._ The piece fit the atmosphere of the vast building perfectly. It seemed to be a balance between happy and sad, but mysterious at the same time. A flute led with a beautiful moving melody, accompanied with the haunting sounds of a string instrument that she hadn't been able to identify.

One day Okari came to the chapel, unaware that this visit would be different from the others. She walked slowly through the chapel, shafts of afternoon light coming down through the windows and shining down onto the floor. She closed her eyes and hummed the piece as it came to her ears. Suddenly, she heard something and she stopped her humming and opened her eyes. She had never been interrupted in her visits before.

"Who's there?" she said. She saw someone slink into the dark shadows caused by the light from the windows.

"You can come out, I see you," she told the shadow. She walked towards it and it came out into the light. It was a boy her age. He looked at her with tired dark blue eyes, actually with one eye: His unruly white-silver hair draped over one side of his thin face. She walked closer to him and realized she was a little taller than him.

"Hello. My name is Okari. What's yours?" she asked.

"My name is Ienzo," he answered

"Nice name. What are you doing here in the chapel, Ienzo?" Okari asked curiously.

"I come here when I have time and…" he said, his face flushing a little in embarrassment. "…I like to listen to the music."

Okari grinned and said, "That's exactly why I come here, too. This has become my favorite song, and I don't even know what it's called."

He didn't say anything to that.

"Hey, do you know what the string instrument is? I could never figure it out."

Ienzo closed his eyes for a moment, listening hard. Suddenly he opened his eyes again.

"Harpsichord," he said abruptly.

"I've never heard of that instrument before. You're smart," she remarked.

They were silent for a while, listening to the music.

Suddenly Okari asked, "Do you want to be friends?"

For a second a look of surprise came to his face but he promptly replaced with a frown. He crossed his arms and scowled at the floor.

"You ask a lot of meaningless questions," he said grumpily.

"That's no answer! Ienzo, is something wrong?" she said.

Ienzo let his arms hang to his sides. He was never one easily persuaded and he never talked much, but something about this girl made him spill it all out.

"Nobody has ever wanted to be my friend before," he admitted.

"My gosh, Ienzo, I wonder why. I think you're very interesting. I've only known you for about ten minutes and I know I like you," said Okari, full of concern.

"You do?" Ienzo asked, his tone a mix of doubt and astonishment. Okari nodded sincerely.

"Yes, I'll be your friend," Ienzo agreed.

Note: The song mentioned is also the name of the chapter "Minuet in D Minor" was composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. (don't own)


	5. The Six

Chapter 5: The Six

Okari usually met with Ienzo at the chapel, but later she saw him more and more inside the castle. She discovered that he was excellent at science, a prodigy in fact. Ienzo was studying to become a scientist, especially one that would study under Ansem.

"So why didn't you tell me this before?" Okari demanded. Ienzo gave a small shrug.

"So where do you live? Who are your parents?" she asked abruptly.

Ienzo scowled before answering, "You have to stop asking questions suddenly that are far from the topic of discussion. It is very irritating."

"I just want to know more about you. That's not too much, is it?"

Ienzo sighed, giving in to her once again. "I live near the outskirts of this town, where we have large open fields. My father is a botanist and he works at a special garden far to the east. My mother is a shopkeeper in the town."

"What does she sell?" Okari asked eagerly.

"Ice cream," he answered.

"I love ice cream! What kind?"

"She makes the very best sea-salt ice cream. She is one of Master Ansem's biggest suppliers, apparently our leader likes sea-salt ice cream," he explained. Okari nodded.

"So, who are yours?" he asked. Okari frowned and stared down at her feet.

"I apologize, Okari. I had forgotten…" he whispered.

"I-It's all right. I remember my mother; she died the night Ansem found me. She was murdered: strangled to death. She looks nothing like me, but I know I get my eyes from her side of the family. So I might have an idea of what my father looks like by looking in the mirror. I never knew my father. I think when I was little I asked Mom if I had a dad because my other friends each had one. She just started crying. She cried a lot. I can't believe I remember that much… that was so very long ago."

"That's terrible…" Ienzo whispered. Okari didn't cry, but she collapsed onto him as if she'd just burst into tears. He felt uncomfortable, and even more when she wrapped her arms around him. He felt he couldn't do anything else but wrap his own arms around her.

No year would be so significant in her life as much as her fourteenth year, except perhaps the last year she truly lived.

Six years passed; Okari finished training and finally became a real castle guard. Her specialty was the spear, although she was good with any type of weapon. Okari soon became a very distinguished officer in the guard. She kept moving up in rank until she became high commander of the guards, the second highest in rank, which had never happened to someone so young before. She continued her friendship with Ienzo; the more time passed, the more their friendship deepened.

Xehanort rose higher and higher in Ansem's esteem until Ansem decided to have him as his apprentice, and to be the one to pass all of his knowledge to. The leader of Radiant Garden was adored by his people for his knowledge from which sprung life and prosperity for them. No one had ever remembered their world being in better hands. Ansem was revered as the Wise King, until he finally gained the title "Ansem the Wise" and no one ever thought for him to be called differently.

Hemera married a noble who lived in an area to the far south. His name was Aether, and he came to live at Radiant Garden castle after he married Hemera. Ansem accepted him but was never very fond of him. Aether had short brown hair and a face displaying an almost permanent smile. He wore glasses and behind them were the most intensely blue eyes Okari had ever seen. Aether and Hemera were very happy together. Laguna and Raine also married during this time and soon had a son. They named him Squall and now he is four years old.

But one of the most important events that happened through the next six years was Ansem's newest research topic: the human heart. Particularly, the darkness in the human heart. Before long, he was considered the authority on it, but he had only uncovered so little. He had never put so much time and energy into a subject before. He finally decided to call for aid. He hired six of his most trusted and most interested on the subject.

First, there was Xehanort. He was the most interested in the subject. Okari still disliked him. Xehanort ended up finding the most vital information for Ansem's research and eagerly volunteered himself as a subject in experiments. He also ran a few experiments secretly with a few other members of the research group without Ansem's permission.

Second, there was Braig. This was a surprise; Ansem's third cousin seemed to goof off more than commit. Okari had only met him once before. His passion was for sharp shooting and the scars on his face and his missing right eye showed that his shooting skills had also been taken to the battlefield. He also wasn't exactly too intelligent, but he did come up with some valuable theories that had him seen as a great member of the disciples.

Third, there was Dilan. He was longtime friend of Ansem's. He conducted most of the major experiments. He had a way with words and was often the spokesman for the research group. Okari had met him on a few occasions when she was young.

Fourth, there was Even. Childhood friend of Ansem, he was appointed as his main advisor since his inauguration. He had a very calculating mind and a careful hand, which allowed him to handle the more delicate procedures. Even despised Okari and never gave her a chance to get to know him. On the other hand, he was fascinated with Xehanort and got along well with him.

Fifth, there was Elaeus. He was known as a war hero and wasn't very intelligent. The only reason he was in the research group was because he had such a deep interest in the subject. Because of his strength, he was valued because he could quickly and efficiently set up equipment and take it down and clean up.

Sixth, there was Ienzo. He was the youngest of the six. He was hired for his intelligent mind and his boundless curiosity. He came up with most of the new theories and was very dedicated to his research.

Commander Okari, now twenty, often had her post at Ansem's study. Between shifts she often stayed to talk to him. One day she was on duty in front of the door of the study. Someone came out of the door behind her: Ienzo.

"I am on break," he explained. He leaned on the wall next to Okari.

"Well, _I_ am on duty," she whispered.

"Are you sure you _should _be on duty?" he asked, pointing to the bloodstained bandages wrapped around her left arm. It was the result of a training accident the day before.

She blushed in embarrassment. "It's just a scrape."

"I wanted to ask you something," he whispered.

Okari sighed and whispered, "What is it?"

"Do you think Master Ansem would approve of the idea of building a laboratory underneath the castle?" asked Ienzo.

"Underneath?" Okari asked, confused.

"Yes, there would be much more room and it would be much easier than using the hidden computer room and the study."

"That's very interesting. But why ask me? You should ask him yourself," she said.

"I…" Ienzo looked very unsure of what to say.

"Tell me, did you come up with this idea?" Okari asked.

"Yes and the other five are urging me to ask. I wanted to see if you think he'd approve, or else I might be caught in the middle."

"I see… My advice is to ask him. And if you ever run into trouble, I'll help you out. Okay?"

"Okay. Thank you, Okari, you're a great friend." He opened the study door and slipped back in.

Ansem did build the laboratory, but he was often caught up with other matters so he went down there very rarely. Xehanort took things into his own hands, and the other disciples helped him. Ienzo was reluctant to go along with Xehanort's plans, but he was easily convinced. Xehanort wrote reports on his findings under Ansem's name to draw attention away from himself of they were ever discovered.

One day Okari was getting ready for duty when Hemera ran over to her. She looked very excited, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Okari! I thought it might never… but it happened! It finally happened! I had told Ansem not ten minutes ago, but I felt I just needed to tell you!"

"What?" Okari asked.

"I just found out that I'm pregnant!" she said.

Okari smiled and said, "Congratulations, I'm very happy for you. I know you've been trying to have a baby for years!"

"And it will make the people happy, too. Some had lost hope that there would ever be an heir," she whispered. Much would depend on her baby.

After that the patrol went on normally, and at the end she was getting ready to go back to her room, when she saw Xehanort. He beckoned her into a narrow hallway. What did he want? She realized this hallway was the way to the underground laboratory. She started to feel nervous. She hesitated but eventually decided to follow him. She walked closer and closer to him. She started to ask what he was calling her over for, but she felt a sharp pain in her arm and fell over.

Xehanort pulled the needle out of her arm and Even came out of the staircase behind him. They both dragged Okari down the stairs and into the laboratory.

"I sent Ienzo on an errand. He won't be back for hours," Even informed his master.

"Very good. I must thank you for your invention," said Xehanort, holding up the syringe.

"It is better than anesthesia. It is an injection that makes one almost unconscious. They will be unable to react to pain if they feel any at all. It lasts from an hour to a day depending on the dosage. It does not have the negative effects of anesthesia because the brain is still conscious," said Even.

"And the best part is that they will forget whatever happened for the duration of the effects and the moments before the time of injection. This has been most helpful, as our test subjects must be conscious for the procedures," said Xehanort.

Braig helped the other two lift Okari onto an operating table. Elaeus readily set up the equipment necessary for the procedures. Dilan took different cords coming from the machines and taped the ends of the cords to her, mostly in her chest area. Xehanort gave Even the signal to switch on the machines.

"Dude, Xehanort, what makes ya think that it'll work this time? All of the rest of the people you experiment on all had their hearts die and they turn into those weird shadow thingies. What makes this one different?" Braig asked.

"Your grammar is deplorable," Even muttered.

"Something tells me that Okari might bring different results. A hunch, you might say. And 'those weird shadow thingies' that you speak of are called 'Heartless' and they are our most crucial discovery yet," said Xehanort.

He went to a computer which all of the machines were hooked to. He nodded to Dilan.

"Preparation for procedure number one," said Dilan while pushing a few buttons on one machine.

"Procedure number one: Extracting the darkness of the heart, in progress," said Xehanort. He pressed a few keys on the computer and closely watched the monitor. Okari's body automatically writhed when Dilan's machine started to take and analyze the darkness within her heart. No one seemed surprised by her body's reaction: it was normal.

"Intriguing. I've never seen such a large amount of darkness in any heart. Strangely, this much darkness doesn't seem to affect her personality at all," said Xehanort. He quickly jotted down notes. Then he nodded to Braig.

"Preparation for procedure number two," said Braig in a bored tone. He simply flipped a switch on another machine.

"Procedure number two: Cultivate darkness in a pure heart, in progress," said Xehanort. Xehanort started typing and Braig's machine activated. And when Okari's heart was exposed to new darkness, everything went horribly awry.


	6. Untouched Heart

Chapter 6: Untouched Heart

Ienzo had finally completed the long list of the ridiculous tasks that Even had assigned to him. He had done it all in record time, and the feat exhausted him. Later he realized what convinced him to move so quickly was this feeling deep inside of him. It felt like something terrible was happening. He walked to the servants' wing and unloaded his armful of miscellaneous items that were the result of completing some of his tasks.

"Deliver this to the underground laboratory later," he told the servant standing behind the desk. The servant nodded and Ienzo quickly left the wing.

"These confounded idiotic feelings! They always interfere with my life. And unfortunately, these feelings I have are more than often true," he muttered as he walked through the halls.

"So that means that something horrible is happening," he said. He thought for a long moment and then sighed, a part of him relieved to finally have the nerve to reveal this and another part of him fearing the consequences. "I will tell Ansem the Wise; I cannot hide it any longer. He_ must _know."

Ienzo broke into a run, even though he was still exhausted. Eventually he reached Ansem's study and nearly crashed through the door. Ansem was searching through piles of papers.

"Ienzo, I have other duties, as the leader of our world, that are more important than these experiments of the heart," said Ansem without looking up.

"But I have something very important to—" Ienzo was cut off by a sudden enormous tremor. The ground shook and Ienzo lost his balance. Ansem's papers flew everywhere. There was a strange deep groaning from the walls and ceiling, but the ancient stone walls and foundations of the castle held fast. It passed as quickly as it began.

"What was that?" asked Ienzo.

"Earthquakes are very rare. Now, will you help me clean this up?"

Ienzo sighed, knowing that he would not be able to tell Ansem the important truth until much later.

Meanwhile, down in the underground laboratory, the monitors on the machines started flashing uncontrollably and the meters showed dangerous levels. The whole process started to go backwards: the new darkness rushed back into the machine and the old darkness flowed back into Okari's heart. The cords ripped themselves away from her body. Before the research group could fully react, the ground began to shake. Darkness flowed from her body and shrouded the room, engulfing the five others in the room.

Okari's patrol had ended, and she was walking back towards her room. She walked past the servants' wing, her eyes lingering on the great clock hung on the wall above the desk. She started to leave sight of the wing, but glanced at the clock once more and did a double take. It was almost dinnertime; it would be dark outside now. How long was she on duty? It was supposed to end more than an hour ago. She didn't ponder this mystery for very long, because right then a voice called out her name. She turned around to greet the caller.

"Hi, Ienzo," she said to her friend. He walked briskly to her, panting tiredly.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"It's nothing. But I need you to deliver something to Ansem the Wise something for me," he said, his tired deep blue eyes averting from hers.

"Sure, what is it?"

"I wanted to tell him something, but everything got in the way until I finally lost the courage to do so. I wrote what I wanted to say in a letter and I want you to deliver it. I trust you more than anyone. It is very important information. Please don't read it." Ienzo handed Okari a letter enclosed in an envelope.

"Of course not, and I won't tell him that you wrote it," she assured him.

"Thank you, I need some rest," he mumbled and then he dragged himself to his room.

Okari turned around and walked all the way to the throne room, where Ansem would be at this time of day. She planned her exact words, a statement that didn't lie. She reached the chamber and stood in the shadows, as she saw Ansem discussing some matter with a delegate. After the delegate left, Okari walked to the throne.

"What is it that you seek my presence, Commander Okari?" he said to her. Okari bowed deeply.

"I found this letter by the servants' wing and it is addressed to you, honored sage," she said, showing the envelope to him.

"Bring it here," he said. She stepped forward and gave it to the king. Ansem opened the envelope and unfolded the letter inside. He read over it once, and then twice. His face darkened and he read over it a third time. Then he slowly folded the paper up again with hands that shook.

"How…? Why…?" he murmured to himself.

"Is something the matter?" asked Okari, worried. She had never seen him like this before. His face was a sad mix of anger, shock, and confusion.

"Send for my disciples," he ordered a nearby servant. "Okari, follow me."

They walked quickly through the vast castle until they reached the study. All of the disciples were already there, but Ienzo looked even more tired and nervous than before.

Okari stood by the door as Ansem sat down at his desk, giving a scrutinizing gaze to each of the six.

"I trust every one of you. I have had you all carry out very demanding work, all to find the meaning of the heart. I have just received word of some disturbing news. That you, my six trusted, have been conducting dangerous experiments into darkness of the heart. Although I do not know the full extent of what has been done, I now believe the mystery of the great number of disappearances around the castle and town has been solved.

"Now, all of you will _never _conduct any experiments of this kind again. I have learned over many years that some secrets were meant to stay in secrecy. I am inclined to believe that this is indeed one of those instances. You are all relieved from your duty as a researcher for a month. I will shut down the underground laboratory and investigate the area myself. I have nothing more to say to you six."

His golden yellow eyes scanned the six faces in front of him again. Ienzo looked fearful through his exhaustion. Elaeus was confused; it was most likely that he never knew what was going on. Even looked ashamed at having angered him, but his icy blue eyes also held a flickering anger when he looked at his master. Braig had a bored and distant look, as if he had been ignoring a long lecture from a dull math teacher. Dilan for once had no powerful and influential words to say, and sat in deep thought. Xehanort kept his face stony and emotionless but his eyes told otherwise.

Okari could not look away from Xehanort's eyes. His gaze frightened her. His eyes, the color reminiscent to a solar eclipse, held a gaze of anger and at the same time delight. There was fury in his glance, but under it was a shining mischievousness. It seemed as though Xehanort's eyes were _laughing. _They were mocking the very sight of the man who had rescued him from dying of sickness and starvation from the streets. And that terrified her.

That night Okari tossed and turned in her bed. Her subconscious was suffering a violent nightmare.

_She couldn't move, her vision was clouded, and her heart was aching with a pain never felt before. She felt as if her very essence was being taken away from her. She could faintly hear the sounds of machines and people speaking over her. And suddenly, it stopped. When she found that she could see clearly she saw a prison in the middle of nothingness. The prison was actually a large cage. In the center sat a weeping woman with very long auburn hair, closed from the rest of the world. 'Mother?' thought Okari. She tried to call out her name, but no sound came and she watched as the cage was swallowed by thick grey mist. She fell through the nothingness, flashes of the past and present rushing past her eyes. Then she saw glimpses of the future. _

_Hemera screaming out and being engulfed by the darkness. Ansem fading into a burning explosion. Raine dying in Laguna's arms. Laguna being cut down during a battle. Aether killing himself in grief. Ienzo with different colored hair being stabbed fatally by a blade of darkness. Okari closed her eyes tightly to block out the horrifying images. But she saw even more graphic images once her eyes were closed._

_Plague. Massacre. War. Agony. Burning. Ripping. Blood. Death. Screams. _

_The deplorable images branded themselves into her mind. She desperately opened her eyes again, the images being too much to bear. Once she opened her eyes the images stopped, but what she saw was almost as bad. She saw Xehanort sitting on top of her with his hands held tightly around her throat, sharp nails clawing the sides of her neck. With a cruel grin he brought his head closer to hers. _

_She couldn't struggle, she couldn't scream. His head came closer and closer until his lips met hers in a forceful kiss. Okari was in anguish. His lips felt exactly like acid. Sharp teeth cut into the skin around her lips, stinging and making the kiss even more unbearable. She wanted to die rather than go through with this. Her eyesight was fading from lack of oxygen, but the penetrating image of his malicious dark orange eyes remained burned into her being. _

Okari woke up gasping for air. She clenched her sheets tightly with shaky hands, struggling to get her breathing under control. She inhaled deeply, and exhaled in a shuddering breath. Cold sweat coated her body, making her thin nightgown stick to her skin. Just as she was getting herself under control the images she had seen in her dream came back to her. She felt bile rising in her throat and she quickly got out of bed. She nearly fell to the floor, she felt so weak. She half stumbled, half crawled, into the bathroom and vomited into the sink. She weakly wiped her mouth off and then her trembling legs suddenly gave in to her weight and she fell against the wall. She slid down the wall to the floor and held her hands to her head.

She was unable to think straight and it took a while for her to gather herself again. That was the most horrible thing that she had ever experienced, dreamt or not. But the worst part was that it felt even more realistic than if she had been awake. It felt as if all of this had been locked away inside of her ever since she came into existence.

It took a while for her strength to come back to her, but when it did she pulled herself up. After washing the contents of her stomach down the drain, she heard someone knocking at her door. Then she realized that it was now late into the morning. Okari decided to answer it and dragged her quivering body to the door. She opened it and saw Ienzo.

"Oh," was all she could say. She tried to smile, but her mouth muscles weren't cooperating.

"Okari, what's happened to you?" he yelled. She started to stumble backwards, the decibels of his demand nearly knocking her off her feet. He caught her and walked inside the dark room and closed the door behind him.

'Why does she keep it so dark?' he wondered. Ienzo set Okari down on her bed and opened all of the black curtains, letting in the morning light. Okari groaned, feebly attempting to cover her unadjusted eyes. He hurried to the bedside and grasped her hand in his, concerned eyes gazing down at her.

"What happened?" he asked. His sensitive nose wrinkled as he picked up a familiar revolting scent. "Are you sick?"

"Bad dream," she mumbled almost inaudibly.

"Is that all?" asked Ienzo, disbelieving.

She nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'll be okay." Her voice was now louder and clearer.

"Your face is as white as paper," he stated.

"I just need breakfast," she said, more to herself than to him. She felt happier when she remembered that today was her day off. Her half- closed eyes slowly opened more, adjusting better to the light.

"The gods above, Okari!" he gasped.

"What?" she asked.

"Y-Your eyes!" he whispered.

Okari reached for a small mirror that she kept at her bedside table and held it to her face. She blinked several times to make sure her reflection was not an illusion. The irises of her large eyes had amazingly turned from a bright hazel to a silvery grey. She couldn't help but think the color was like moonlight shining through a dark storm cloud that shrouded it from view.

"What in the world…" she whispered. She sighed, accepting this as another strange addition to her life, and placed the mirror on the bedside table again. "Why did you come here anyway?" she asked.

"Um, well…" A little bit of red started to flush into his cheeks. "Since we both don't have to work today, I thought… that we might spend the day together."

"Sure. Now let me get out of bed and get ready," she said. She started to get out of bed and started to blush too, a warm feeling rushed through her. "Ienzo, you can let go now." She indicated the hand that he was still holding. He hadn't even realized that he was holding it for so long. He quickly withdrew his hands. Okari got out of bed, most of her strength had returned to her.

"I'll meet you in the dining hall in an hour," she informed him.

"Um, yes. Are you sure you are all right?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm going to be fine. I'm going to get ready now."

Ienzo quickly acknowledged this and left the room. Once he was gone she began to take a hot shower. She let the comfortingly warm water flow through her mess of black hair and stream off of her body. Breathing in the steam, she fully relaxed. These were the times where she truly felt at ease. These were the best times to think.

Her nightmare came back into her brain, but this time she reacted less strongly. The fuzzy scene of where she felt herself taken away, her caged mother disappearing, deaths of her closest friends, the disturbing images, and Xehanort's attempt to murder her and kissing her all replayed through her head. Okari rested her head against the shower wall and began to cry.

Saltwater tears mixed with fresh shower water. Great shuddering sobs rocked through her body. She hadn't had a good cry for a very long time. For years she had been suppressing them, setting a firm self-belief that crying never solved anything. But now, her head against the wall and the water rushing down her shuddering arching back, she felt like her mother. How her mother would sob constantly when she was little and inside that cage.

So many new questions and mysteries had arisen. Shadows of secrets and paradox closed in around her. For the first time in her life, Okari truly felt caged in.


	7. Shooting Star

Chapter 7: Shooting Star

After getting ready she headed to the dining hall and started a very memorable day with Ienzo. They had not felt better in weeks. Time flew and suddenly it was the late afternoon. It was the perfect time to visit the place where they met.

The familiar music filled their ears as they strode silently through the chapel. Both of them had never had the time to visit for months. Okari felt all of her worried thoughts from the morning drift away as she became entranced by the music, as she had been whenever she visited the chapel since she was very young. Subconsciously, Okari started to hum the melody. Then a question pricked at the back of her mind, one that she had been willing to ask for a while.

"Ienzo, what do you think of the others?" she asked.

Ienzo blinked. "Um…"

"You know, I'm talking about your research group."

"Do you mean the one under Ansem the Wise?"

"Yes."

Ienzo pondered for a while before answering. "I like Dilan. He respects me and often helps me with my research. I am also fond of Elaeus. Although he is quiet and—I have to admit it—not very bright, he is very kind to me and tends to only really speak to me or Xehanort.

"Even… at first he admired me until he learned that I was your friend. Then he never accepted me and thought that I was not fit for the job because I was so young. And there's also Braig. I don't like him; he's childish, rude, and irresponsible. The last is Xehanort… I admired him and couldn't help but feel loyal to him. When he asked us to follow him to conduct secret experiments, I followed him blindly. But yesterday, I realized the grievous error in our ways. Now I regret ever following him."

They were silent for a long while, the music being the only thing heard. Once the sky visible through the windows began to darken, Okari spoke again.

"Do you ever feel like everything is woven together in a great web? Like all events that change our lives, our fates, are connected?"

Ienzo thought for a moment before answering. "Are you thinking about what happened to your eyes?"

"Yes, my eyes and something else. But what do you think, Ienzo?" she asked.

"Well… I don't think that that idea is entirely unscientific. I believe that we are led though our lives by the consequences of our actions," he stated.

"You mean like our destinies are made from what comes out of choices we make?" she asked.

"Perhaps in simpler and more optimistic words, but that is almost exactly what I just said."

"Sorry."

Once the sun sank below the horizon they left the chapel. Ienzo stared at the twilit sky, seeing the stars appear one by one.

"Okari, I spoke with some of the elder mages and they told me that there is going to be a meteor shower tonight," he said.

"Do you really believe anything they say?" asked Okari doubtfully.

"No, their predictions are often inaccurate. Well, meteor shower or no, lying down under the stars will be very enjoyable," he told her, wearing a rare smile.

Okari grinned widely. "Thank you so much. This is one of my favorite things to do. I really hope there _is_ a meteor shower. There hasn't been one since…"

_Okari looked up into the sky with wide hazel eyes, absorbing the majestic starry sky. There was not a cloud this night. The girl of three years swept her pudgy bare feet across the soft grass of her backyard. She was sitting on her mother's lap. Her mother had her arms around her small child, watching the sky as well. Okari was happy that her mother could finally have a respite from her sadness._

"_Oh look!" cried the mother in her musical voice, pointing to the sky._

"_I saw it! I saw it!" Okari screamed, bouncing up and down. "A shooting star!"_

"_Make a wish, sweetie." The girl clasped her hands together and closed her eyes tightly._

"_Done wishin'," she said after opening her eyes again._

"_Now don't tell me what it is. Your wishes are secret," her mother whispered into her ear._

"_Secret!"_

_Her mother gasped and Okari's eyes shot to the sky and she cried out in glee. The night sky was showered in falling meteors. Stars seemed to travel across the sky, beams of light streaking behind them. The toddler did not dare to blink, for the shooting stars disappeared into the void within seconds. The mother hugged her child closer to her, and they both stared into the heavens. _

"Okari? Are you all right?"

"Huh?"

Okari snapped back to the present. "Oh I'm sorry, Ienzo. I was dazed," she said.

"If you say so. I brought a blanket for us to lie on," he said.

"Great!" The sky was now dusted with stars upon stars, great rivers of them in the air. They walked to the grassy hills behind the castle, an ideal place for stargazing. A few other people were already on blankets and searching the stars. Once they came to a nice area away from the other people they unfolded the broad blanket and rested it on the ground. They lay upon it and stared into the sky.

"I had… forgotten how amazing the night sky is," whispered Ienzo. A cool breeze blew over the two. Okari shivered.

"It's kind of cold tonight," said Okari, huddling close to his body for warmth.

"It's early spring. There are still winter winds blowing around," he said, a red tinge coming to his face from the close contact.

They watched the sky. An hour passed.

Okari sighed. "I guess there's no meteo…" Suddenly she gasped as she saw a streak of light flash in the sky. "Ienzo, watch the sky! The elder mages were right."

The sky was covered in short streaks of light. At first there were few, but as the minutes passed more crossed the sky until it looked as though it was raining light.

"Beautiful," whispered Ienzo.

"It's just like that time…" said Okari.

"Hm?" Ienzo glanced over at Okari, but she didn't say anything else. Her large eyes were wide open and reflecting the lights of the meteors like small silver mirrors. Her ivory skin and contrasting ebony hair were beautifully highlighted by the starlight. As soon as Ienzo realized he was staring, he shook his head and watched the skies again. Soon the stars began to lessen.

"I guess it's almost over," she said. She leaned her head on Ienzo's shoulder and he put an arm around hers. Right then, they truly felt at peace. But this was soon shattered as the last few meteors came.

"Ienzo, look at that one. It's enormous!" said Okari, pointing to a large falling star. Ienzo squinted at it.

"It looks like it's getting bigger," he whispered. Then he gasped. "Okari, run!"

Okari and Ienzo got up with a start.

"What about the blanket?" she asked.

"Don't worry about it," he said as he broke into a run.

She ran after him and glanced up at the sky once more.

"It's going to crash!" she gasped. Suddenly, they were blinded by a flash of light and were knocked down by a big shockwave. When it subsided she stood back up and blinked the dark spots out of her vision. There was a crater in the place where they had just been. It was about ten feet wide and as deep as Okari was tall. They slowly walked to the edge and peered down into the pit. At the center of the crater lay a meteorite. It was unlike anything they had seen in pictures and books. It was small and had a perfectly geometric shape.

People started to gather around the hole, although no one went in because the meteorite was red-hot. Okari joined some castle guards in getting buckets of cold water to cool it down. Once they had gotten the water they walked down as far enough as comfortable and splashed the water onto it. Steam clouded the air and as soon as it subsided Okari saw Ansem the Wise looking down at them, closely followed by Even. The meteorite had completely cooled down to a bright resinous yellow. She carefully picked it up, instantly surprised at the stretchy plastic texture. Climbing up the hill, she reached Ansem and handed it to him. He took it and examined it closely.

"Even, Ienzo, Okari, gather my other disciples and meet me at my study," he said curtly. He turned and walked back to the castle. People started to leave and Okari walked away from Ienzo and went back to the castle. Inside, she found Dilan and walked with him to the study.

Once they entered they saw that everyone else was already there. Okari stood at her usual post by the door. Ansem sat at his desk and sighed.

"I am afraid that I will have to shorten your probation. Tomorrow we will start experimentation on our world's newest visitor," said Ansem. He showed them the meteorite. "It is unlike any extraterrestrial object ever found in Radiant Garden. I will require the help of my six disciples." Even and Dilan looked in awe and leaned forward for a better view of it. Ansem put it away. "But if I _ever_ find out any of you have been doing any dangerous experimentation again, I will not hesitate to banish you from the castle." The six researchers winced. "Especially if it has to do with the darkness in the heart or the heart of all worlds," he added, giving Xehanort a dark glance.

The six expressed their acknowledgement and then Ansem dismissed them.

That night Okari did not encounter any hellish dreams at all. The next morning she reported for duty as normal. Ansem the Wise spent his morning searching through piles of papers and writing down notes. But then, about noon, Xehanort entered through the door behind Okari.

"Master Ansem," he greeted with a bow.

"Yes, Xehanort?" said Ansem.

"Several more samples of the same meteorite have been found in several places throughout Radiant Garden. We are currently having them transferred to the underground laboratory."

"Very good, I will be there shortly."

Xehanort did not leave. "We also have just encountered another visitor to our world."

This piqued Ansem's interest. "What?"

"It is the king of another world. He came on a most peculiar ship. This king wishes to speak to you," Xehanort informed him.

Ansem looked nothing less than astonished. "Tell him that I will meet him in the throne room. Commander Okari, you will be relieved of duty for today once I am gone. Xehanort, what is this visitor's name?"

The corner of Xehanort's mouth rose in a slight grin. Okari shivered.

"His name is King Mickey."


	8. Happy Birthday

Chapter 8: Happy Birthday

Ansem met with the King and conversed with him for nearly the remainder of the day. The next day, Ansem spoke with him again inside the study. Okari gave them privacy and guarded the outside of the door. Time went by slowly, and then Xehanort walked up to the door. Okari stepped aside as he opened it. He bowed politely, regarding the other ruler in the room.

"Master Ansem. Regarding the experiment that I presented the other day, with your permission I'd like to proceed—" Xehanort started.

"I forbid it!"

Okari flinched at Ansem's surprising outburst.

"Forget this talk of doors, and the heart of all worlds. That place must not be defiled," Ansem advised.

"But, Master Ansem! I've been thinking…" Xehanort continued. There was a pause.

"Xehanort. Those thoughts are best forgotten," said Ansem. Xehanort found no other words to say, so he bowed and left, closing the door behind him.

A few days later the King made his leave. That was also the day Okari really met him. She attended the farewell party. Mickey was going to leave on a ship. Okari stared at it in awe. She had found out that it was made of the meteorites that had been found. She stood next to him, waiting for the ship to be prepared for launch.

"Hi," said a high, squeaky voice. Surprised, Okari looked down at the King next to her. He was very short, his height barely reaching her hip. He had a strange appearance; he looked like an oversized mouse. But he gave off a happy, carefree feeling. He was instantly likeable. She was also surprised by the lack of formality used by this tiny monarch.

"Um… hi," said Okari. She was unsure of how to speak to him.

"You're Commander Okari, right? Ansem the Wise told me about you."

"R-Really?" Okari stuttered.

"Aw, it's all right. You can speak as you usually do," said Mickey, sensing the problem.

"Thanks," said Okari. "So how far away is your home…world?"

"Not that far, when it comes to space. This is the first world I've visited," he said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, there were these barriers set between worlds. They made it so no matter how long you travel, you won't get anywhere. But not too long ago the barriers disappeared. Even though I get to meet new people and learn new things, it still bothers me."

"Barriers…" Okari murmured.

"But I've learned more than I ever thought I would. This world's really nice, and Ansem the Wise really earns his title. We've become great friends," he said.

"Yes, and thank you, Your Majesty."

Mickey blinked. "For what?"

"Ansem has been… bothered lately, too. Even with the discovery of the meteorites, something that's happened beforehand still depresses him. But when you came, he lit up. He's returning to his old self again. So thank you," said Okari.

"Gosh, that makes me want to come back and visit even more! But about what you said that has made him sad, I won't ask. I don't think it's best for me to know," said Mickey.

"I understand. When are you coming back?"

"As soon as I can. Oh boy, I haven't even left and I already can't wait to come back. Oops! The ship's ready. Goodbye, Commander!" he yelled before running into the open door at the side of the spacecraft.

"Goodbye!" Okari waved. She really, truly hoped she would see him again soon.

Months flew by quickly. King Mickey never returned. Radiant Garden had begun to build a fleet of gummi ships from the meteorites collected. The most capable pilot found was a teenager named Cid. Hemera's due date was coming closer and closer. For the first time in years, all of Radiant Garden buzzed with excitement.

And then it was Okari's twenty-first birthday.

"Okari, just what are you doing?" asked Laguna when he saw Okari preparing for duty.

"Huh?"

"Today is your birthday! Relax, you're relieved from duty. Enjoy yourself. That's an order," said Laguna.

"I outrank you," Okari muttered.

"By one tiny rank! Well, these are orders from Ansem the Wise, so there," Laguna retorted.

"Fine then," said Okari, starting to remove her armor. "I see that Squall's here today, too."

A small boy blinked stormy blue eyes up at her.

"Yep, and what a coincidence! Squall's birthday was last week. That's neat how both of your birthdays are so close," said Laguna.

"Why didn't you tell me before? So how old are you now, Squall? Eight?" Okari asked.

"Six," he corrected.

"Really…" Okari whispered. Squall had a vocabulary and maturity for someone more than twice his age.

"So, I'll be off on duty. Go play with Cloud. Bye!" said Laguna before running out the door.

Squall sighed. "Bye Okari, happy birthday."

"You know where to go, right?"

"Cloud's in the courtyard." He then walked out of the door.

Okari walked to the throne room and Ienzo met up with her.

"I thought that maybe we could go hiking by the ravine for your birthday," he said.

"Great! But is anyone else coming?" she asked.

"Ansem the Wise has to stay at the castle and Hemera is in no condition to hike… but the others in the research group had wanted to go to the ravine for some time."

But wouldn't that mean Xehanort? Coming with her for her birthday?

"Okari?" asked Ienzo.

"That would be fine. When can we leave?"

The research group was more than willing to come with her to hike, except for Even, who ended up not attending. They climbed up enormous heights of dark blue stone, wildflowers poking up at nearly every little crevice. The six of them hiked until they were at the highest point at one side on the colossal gorge. The sun slowly sank into the west, lighting the previously blue sky in gold. Snacks were passed out and they sat, staring at the sunset.

"We should head back down soon," said Braig.

"I'm going to go look around a bit more. I saw these flowers and they really looked interesting," said Okari, standing up. She walked in the direction from where they came and disappeared behind a large rock.

"Excuse me, also," said Xehanort. The remaining four watched the sunset again and didn't notice him following Okari. She looked down at a tall bunch of dark purple flowers by her feet.

"How is your birthday?" asked Xehanort. She turned around, startled. She shivered in slight fear and the blood in her veins ran cold. Being alone with him was unnerving.

"Y-You startled me," she whispered.

"I apologize. Do you think the view is spectacular? It feels as if the whole world is stretched out before you."

"Yes."

She meekly turned to him, her back to the view and her feet on the edge of the cliff. She felt a strange tension fill the air. Nothing really did frighten her as much as this man, especially since her nightmare. The images couldn't stop rushing through her mind: his hands clamped around her throat and his agonizing, acidic kiss.

"You look pale. Are you all right?" he asked.

He stepped towards her. Okari shut her eyes tightly. Suddenly, her feet left the stone. She felt weightless. Air rushed past her, roaring in her ears. She opened her eyes.

"I'm falling?"

She screamed. Fear overtook her and she lost consciousness before she even hit the ground.

When she woke up she was lying in a bed. She could hear voices. But they didn't make sense. She couldn't think. How had she gotten there?

"She's awake!" someone called. She comprehended that. The fog on her mind began to clear. She fell off of the ravine. She was alive?

"Okari!" yelled different voices.

"Sweetie, are you all right?" asked Hemera. Tears smeared the makeup in her face and she rubbed the large bulge of her belly worriedly. Aether had nearly the same reaction as his wife. Raine and Laguna also talked to her, asking her if she was all right. Ansem frowned down at her, relieved and worried all the same.

"None of that will do any good. She is perfectly all right," said the gruff voice of the doctor, shooing away the people. The doctor shook his head. "Okari, you are a marvel. You only suffered a few scratches and a concussion. No other damage. No broken bones. Nothing. No one could have survived that fall."

Okari blinked. What? How was that possible? She sat up. "When will I be released?"

"Later tonight, once you start walking around and get your head in order," he told her.

"Tonight? What time is it now?" she asked.

"Late. It's been five hours since your fall."

At midnight she was released. Okari looked for Ienzo. She didn't see him at the infirmary. She found him in his room. The lights were slightly dimmed and he sat on his bed, staring at the floor.

"Oh, I'm sorry for intruding," said Okari, starting to walk out of the door.

"No, come in. Please," he whispered. She nodded and walked in and closed the door behind her. She walked in the room until she was facing him.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't you _dare _apologize!" he yelled. Okari jumped. "I'm the one who should be apologizing. I suggested going to the ravine and if I was with you when you fell I could have saved you."

Okari didn't know what to say. Ienzo slowly stood up and looked straight into her eyes. Then he did something Okari didn't expect. He embraced her.

"I thought you were dead. I thank all of the stars in the sky that you are alive. Okari, I don't know how I would keep going without you," he whispered.

"Ienzo…" He was never this emotional, which must have meant that he was really upset. But this made Okari feel even guiltier. She hugged him back.

"Ienzo?" she said.

"Y-Yes?" he asked shakily.

"What's wrong with me?"

Ienzo broke the embrace and stared at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"The doctor said nobody could have survived that fall off of the ravine. But I fell and came out nearly unscathed. And one day my eyes suddenly turn silver. And, now I remember, there was this day that seemed like two hours passed in a second. And that dream… Ienzo, am I even human?" said Okari.

Ienzo frowned. "Now that you say it, it all seems very strange. This dream and the two hours I don't know about, but that doesn't mean you aren't human."

"Yeah…you're right," she yawned. "I'm so tired."

"Do you want me to walk you back to your room?" he offered.

"Yes, thanks," she said.

They walked through the halls until the two reached a familiar set of double doors. Ienzo turned the knob and opened the door for her.

"You're excessively polite tonight," Okari teased.

"I guess I'm still relieved," he replied.

She started to walk into the door but paused suddenly. She turned to Ienzo again with a warm smile.

"From now on if I do something I guess I'll have to take your feelings into account. Thanks for always being there for me for all of these years," she said. Okari reached over and gave a soft kiss to his cheek. A joyous feeling crackled through her body like electricity. She could feel the warmth from Ienzo's increasingly flushing cheek. She stepped away, smiling at Ienzo's beet red face, a hand lingering at his cheek. Okari walked into her room.

"Good night," she said.

"Happy Birthday," he said, closing the door behind her. Okari landed in her bed, wrinkling the sheets beneath her. She began to blush also when the memory came back to her. She touched her lips and a shocking realization came to her.

"Do I love him?"


	9. The Heart of Silver

Chapter 9: The Heart of Silver

After much thought, Okari's brain caught up with her heart. She _did_ love Ienzo. Perhaps she always had. But seven years and she'd never realized it?

"Wow, I'm dense," she thought.

She tried to find time alone with him, so she could confess. She wanted to know his feelings. But the castle had gotten busier because Hemera's baby was going to be born any day now. As a result, privacy was harder to find. One day Okari ran into Ienzo, quite literally.

She looked around, squinting through the crowd filtering through the hall. Where could he be? Then suddenly Okari collided with another body, which was running at top speed. She nearly fell over, but stood her ground at caught the arm of the person who had just ran into her. Well, that was one way of finding him. Ienzo flushed in embarrassment.

"Are you all right, Ienzo?" she asked him.

"Yes, but I'm sorry. I have something really important to tell you." He looked around suspiciously at the people in the hall and whispered it into Okari's ear in order to thwart any eavesdroppers. "Hemera's baby is born."

Okari eyes widened and without another word they hurried to where Hemera was. Once before they got there a very excited nurse greeted them.

"The baby is born," she kept saying. Okari and Ienzo smiled.

"Can we see her?" asked Ienzo. The nurse disappeared into a door behind her. She came out a few seconds later and nodded.

Ansem, Aether, and a few others were in the room. In the center of the room was Hemera, lying in a white-sheeted bed. A different nurse came in from another door, holding a bundle. She gave it to Hemera.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, a perfectly healthy baby girl," announced the nurse. A smile was plastered on everyone's faces. Hemera looked down lovingly at the bundle. Okari and Ienzo walked forward slowly and caught their first glimpse at the heir of Radiant Garden.

The baby was tired and her skin looked slightly bluish: she getting used to her newly working heart and lungs. Instantly they saw that she had Hemera's red hair and Aether's brilliant blue eyes and rounded ears. Hemera held her close.

"My beautiful child… I will name you…"

* * *

Ienzo stared at the door to the underground laboratory. His hand rested on the doorknob. Was this right? There were many reasons why he shouldn't trust him. If he did this, it would confirm that he was still his follower. But he must have trusted him. He trusted him enough to have him come along for Okari's birthday, didn't he? And, as far as he knew, Xehanort had never really hurt him. Ienzo took a deep breath and opened the door.

He descended the long, dark staircase. As he suspected, Xehanort had been researching. Xehanort looked up from his papers and then stood up.

"Yes, Ienzo?"

"Xehanort, I believe I have found one of the ones of pure heart you have been looking for. Her name is…" Ienzo hesitated.

"What is her name?" he asked firmly.

"…Her name is Princess Kairi of Radiant Garden."

A wide, wicked grin spread across Xehanort's face.

* * *

"Ienzo!" called Okari. It was late at night, and the crowd all but disappeared. She could talk to him privately.

"Yes?" he asked.

"I need to talk to you," she said. There was no one around. The silence was nearly stifling.

"What is it?"

Her large eyes peered like silver mirrors of emotion into his dark blue ones. She compulsively took his hand in hers.

"Seven years, I'm such a fool. I never thought… It's just I…" Her face flushed. Her mind forgot what to say.

Her lips remembered.

"I love you."

His lips answered.

Their first real kiss was soft like the flowers in the courtyard. This was a silent reply, but it certainly was an answer that was understood. Ienzo loved her. Okari felt it in her bones. It felt as if a heavy burden was taken off of her shoulders. They separated, and kissed again, this time more passionate. They let out the feeling that had been caged inside of them for years.

Okari threw her arms around him, pressing their bodies together like she wanted to meld them into one. Ienzo's hands reached around her. One hand ran through the black locks of her hair and the other pressed to the small of her back. Eventually they had to part. They both gasped for air. They held each other and cooled off.

"I never realized, either," whispered Ienzo.

"When did you find out that you loved me?" she asked into his shoulder.

"When you fell," he said. His muscles tensed. He had still not gotten over that.

"I found out when I kissed your cheek," she said. That was a happier memory.

Ienzo murmured, "I guess love develops in different ways. Sometimes it comes in a few days or a few months. Then there's the fairy tale love at first sights. And then sometimes the seeds are planted and love takes years to bloom."

Okari grinned. "Where did that come from? That was almost poetic."

A wide, joyful grin spread across Ienzo's face.

* * *

Three more years passed. Ienzo and Okari's relationship was slow, but steady. They now lived together. These were happiest years in their lives. The toddler Kairi was the joy of anyone around her. She slept in the room where Okari first slept when she arrived at the castle. A new princess was painted on the moon.

One day, 24-year-old Okari ran to her room. She opened the door and excitedly looked for Ienzo. As usual, he was in the study bent over piles of papers.

"Ienzo! Something wonderful has happened today!" she said. Ienzo sighed and got up from his chair and sat down on the sofa, where Okari sat down right next to him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I got promoted to General!" she said. Genral of the Castle Guard was the highest rank.

"That's wonderful. Congratulations," he said cordially. Okari smiled. "Now there's something else." From a pocket he produced a small box.

He looked into her eyes and it was like that evening three years before, but on the opposite side.

"I didn't get a ring but I made this myself with magic…" Ienzo opened the box and revealed a necklace. Okari's eyes sparkled with joy.

"Okari, will you marry me?" Okari nearly knocked him over with a hug.

"Oh yes! Of course I will," she said. They kissed deeply and then Okari put her necklace on. "I'll never take it off. Thank you so much." Okari calmed down than looked at Ienzo. Ienzo's hands rested on her shoulders.

"I love you," whispered Ienzo. They kissed again and Okari clenched her necklace.

The necklace was of a thick black string and a pendant.

"I have no doubt that our future will be happy," Okari whispered. She looked down at her necklace. The pendant was a heart of silver.

But, of course, things often take an unexpected turn.

* * *

A/N: Wow, an actual A/N. Sorry this chapter is tremendously short! 


	10. Catastrophe

Chapter 10: Catastrophe

Six months passed and Okari and Ienzo had scheduled their wedding for the tenth anniversary from when they first met. That was only a month away. Of course, they would have it at the chapel. Hemera took the liberty of planning the whole wedding and she was very excited about it.

One day, Okari was on duty when a small figure stumbled up to her. She looked down and saw red hair and luminous blue eyes glancing up at her. The small princess grinned and hugged Okari's legs.

"Princess Kairi, you're walking so well! Where's your mommy?" she asked. Kairi was almost four now. She turned around and faced someone down the hall: Hemera.

"Mommy!" she screamed. She waddled over to her mother, who hoisted her up into her arms.

"You wandered away again. You're walking so fast, little Kairi!" Hemera said. Kairi giggled, snuggling against Hemera's shoulder.

* * *

That night, Okari returned home late. She saw Ienzo at work over papers. Okari heaved a great sigh. Ienzo had been busy researching for a week, eating and sleeping little or not at all. He looked so tense, and lack of food or rest was taking its toll. Although he was still the man she loved so dearly, he was changing in other ways. His deep blue eyes now had dark circles around them and his young face was lined with fatigue. He had lost weight and was considerably bonier. Okari, trying to lighten the mood, leaned over the figure in the chair and wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"Hello," she greeted into his ear.

"What?" he answered curtly. Little rest had also made him more irritable.

"I'm just saying hello. I came home late, you know?"

"You did?" He blinked heavy eyelids and glanced at the clock on the wall. "Huh."

Okari peeked at the piles of papers stacked on the desk.

"Why are you working so hard anyway? I thought Ansem was taking a break from research again," she said.

"This is not work for Ansem the Wise. It is for Xehanort," he corrected.

Okari frowned at his name. "What are you studying anyway?" She peeked at one of the papers. "Darkness of the heart…Heartless…opens the door to darkness… This all seems pretty morbid to me," she said.

"Stop, Okari!" he yelled, removing her arms from around his shoulders. "I'm busy and completing this is very important, so why can't you leave me in peace?"

Okari backed away from him and slumped onto the couch, frowning into the back of his head, eyebrows creasing in worry.

"I love you," she whispered, more like a reminder.

Ienzo sighed and looked over his shoulder at her. "I love you, too."

"Can you tell me what's so important about this, then?" she asked.

"Okari, Xehanort is a fine scientist, the finest of us all. He's very intelligent and resourceful. Xehanort has come up with theories that could open up new doors. Okari, if I get this work done tonight, something amazing might happen tomorrow. He has found a way to make a better future for all of us. So I'm doing this for you, because you mean so much to me. After tomorrow, we'll live happier lives and we'll have a perfect future together. All for you," he explained.

"I see," said Okari. But this made her feel even more unsettled. When he talked about Xehanort, his eyes sparkled with admiration. When he talked about Okari, although his words were sweet, the sparkling in his eyes dulled. At least it sounded like he didn't have to worry about Xehanort after tomorrow.

The next morning Okari woke and reached over for her fiancée, but felt only sheets next to her. She opened her eyes and saw Ienzo buttoning up his shirt. He adjusted his purple necktie and slipped on his lab coat.

"You're awake," he said. He walked over and kissed her face softly. "Good morning."

"'Morning… You're awfully cheerful," she commented groggily, getting up and blinking the sunlight out of her eyes.

"After today, there will be no reason not to be cheerful," he muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing. I have to go," he said and walked out of the door.

* * *

"Today is our day," said Xehanort, addressing his five colleagues. "We will create a new world ruled by the benign darkness. In order to do so, all of you must pledge yourselves to me. Not to anyone else. Not to your loved ones. Not even to the lord of this world. In order for our long years of research to be successful, I need loyalty. Without loyalty, every foundation will crumble and all will be for naught."

One at a time; Braig, Dilan, Even, and Elaeus made their pledge. The last to walk up was Ienzo.

"Ienzo, do you pledge yourself to me?"

Ienzo slowly kneeled to him respectfully. "Yes, Ansem."

"Ansem" smirked. "From now on you will be known as Zexion, the Cloaked Schemer."

* * *

The patrol went as it would on any other day. But Okari knew something must be happening. Would the world tomorrow really be completely different? She was alert to any change. Laguna, now her second-in-command, walked next to her.

"General, why are you so anxious today?" he asked. Okari shrugged. They stopped at the entrance to the underground laboratory. Now her day would end. Was there any change?

"I just thought…" Okari started to say. But then Laguna interrupted her.

"What's that?" he yelled. He pointed to the entrance. A small creature, unlike Okari had ever seen, scuttled into the hallway. It was small and completely black, almost resembling an insect with round yellow eyes. Okari unsheathed her sword and pressed the point against it. The thing stiffened and then scuttled away.

"That was kind of mean…" Laguna muttered.

"Don't be stupid! We don't know what it is. Alert the guards and Ansem the Wise, that's an order," she said.

"Yes ma'am—whoa!" he yelled. Suddenly, more of the small creatures filled the corridor. Some larger ones joined them: Bluish, clumsy, armor-clad ones with large red claws and their chests were adorned with a black heart crossed with red thorns. They blocked Laguna's path and attacked him. Laguna defended himself with his gunblade, but when he tried to attack his blade glanced right off of their dark bodies. When Okari approached to back him up, they backed away from her.

"What?" The Heartless scuttled away from her or even completely ignored her. "Come on, Laguna I can clear a path for…" But Okari was interrupted by a scream. She whipped around and her eyes widened. "Laguna!"

The larger monsters impaled him with their claws. Blood poured from his gaping wounds and stained his uniform. Okari ran over to him and the creatures cleared away.

"Laguna…" Okari gasped. But before she could do anything his body disappeared into darkness. It happened so quickly that Okari stared at the blood-covered ground he had just been. Then she remembered: This was like his death in her nightmare. She clenched her head and cried out. He couldn't be dead! She breathed in deeply and picked up her sword and yelled as she hurtled herself into the mass of dark creatures. For some reason, her sword affected them and every creature her blade touched disappeared. But they still ignored her. She ran ahead of the mass and found a guard.

"Alert the guards and Ansem the Wise. We have a crisis," she yelled. He nodded and ran as fast as he could. As the creatures and darkness spread throughout the castle, all that existed were panic and chaos. Eventually she found a distraught Hemera holding Kairi tightly to herself.

"Do you know where Ansem is?" Okari asked.

Hemera shook her head. "He's nowhere to be found. I'm so scared…" Hemera cried. Okari suddenly pulled Hemera behind her.

"Stay close!" she warned. Darkness and the creatures approached them from all sides. Once they were aware of Hemera and Kairi, the antennas of the smaller creatures twitched. They started at them. They avoided Okari but still rushed at Hemera and Kairi. Okari defended them. But in the end it wasn't enough. Hemera was pinned down by the creatures.

"No!" Okari yelled. Their grip was unshakable. Hemera's body started to disappear into the darkness. "I can't… I can't lose you!"

"Kairi!" Hemera screamed. Kairi turned from Okari's hold and stared at Hemera, crying with fear.

"Mommy?" she whispered.

"Pro-Protect…her…" Hemera cried out before she was entirely consumed by the darkness.

"MOMMY!" Kairi cried. Okari scooped Kairi into her arms, only to have her wrenched away. Xehanort appeared from the mass of darkness and pulled Kairi from Okari's weakened grip. The princess screamed at the top of her lungs.

"NO!" Okari screamed. Xehanort just smirked at her and disappeared. Everything was happening so quickly, Okari couldn't breathe. She ran outside. She needed to keep everyone else safe. Once she got outside she saw a large gummi ship. The teenage pilot Cid ran up to her.

"You're a wreck. Don't worry, I'm gettin' everyone I can on them gummi ships," he said.

"Thank you, Cid," Okari muttered.

"You comin'?"

"No, I have to do something else. I can't burden you," she replied. She helped people on the ship and saw Squall. He was shaken and his eyes looked empty.

"Squall!" she yelled and ran over.

"Okari… Mom's dead. I know that Dad's dead, too. You don't have to tell me," he whispered, his voice lifeless.

Okari frowned and looked at his friends. She knew his friend, Cloud, the blonde spiky-haired boy who was slightly older. He helped Squall onto the ship. The oldest of them, a girl with long braided brown hair, followed them. The youngest of them, a little girl (not too much older than Kairi) with short black hair, huddled close her and cried. Cid hopped onto the ship last and the door closed. The ship blasted into the sky and Okari sprinted back into the castle.

She ran all the way to the underground laboratory and flew down the steps. All of them stood there: Xehanort, Ienzo, Even, Dilan, Elaeus, and Braig. They all wore black hooded cloaks with silver fixtures. A dark portal opened and Xehanort stepped inside with no hesitation. Braig followed closely and then Dilan followed him. Even frowned and then walked in. Elaeus walked in after wards.

"Ienzo!" Okari yelled. She ran, but every step seemed to bring her farther instead of closer. Her arms reached out of him desperately, but all was for naught. Ienzo turned her head and stared for a moment.

"I'm sorry."

He walked into the portal and it closed behind him.

And her world shattered.

"No… No… I….can't…Ienzo…" Okari gasped. Her vision faded and she fell to the floor. She clawed for the silver heart hung around her neck. The pain was too much. The room filled with the sound of an earsplitting _crack! _Her necklace felt changed. With the last of her strength she looked at the necklace.

A deep, zigzag crack sliced through the middle of the silver heart. It didn't break completely in half but the crack was still there. It was the reflection of her broken heart. The damage could never be mended.


	11. Hallow Bastion

Chapter 11: Hallow Bastion

When Okari woke up, it was like she was in a completely different world. She lay outside of the castle. The town was completely gone. It was so desolate. Not one plant grew. This place was no longer Radiant Garden. Okari shivered: It was cold, too. In place of the town, water filled. But it defied nature. The water rushed upwards in a waterfall, not downwards. The dark creatures she had seen before roamed about the place freely.

But she needed to see the chapel. Maybe there was still a glimmer of hope. The entire castle had changed, too. Everything was much more massive and no room was where it was supposed to be. What disturbed Okari the most was that the front of the castle was adorned with a gigantic version of the thorn heart symbol seen on the larger dark creatures.

It took a very long time to finally locate the chapel. The dark creatures still ignored her presence. The opened the doors and walked in.

"No," she whispered. There was no music. This place was at silent as the dead. No light came from the windows. Darkness enshrouded this once beautiful place. Another huge thorn heart symbol was placed on the back wall. Ienzo and she were going to be married at that exact spot. Now even her haven had died, along with her entire world. She fell on the floor and cried.

Okari wept until there were no more tears to cry. She held onto her pendant tightly and hummed the music. Maybe she could bring it back. But she found that she had forgotten the song.

She had no idea how much time had passed. There was no life left for her. But there was a problem: she couldn't die. She never ate or drank; there was nothing edible or drinkable anyway. Hunger and thirst were always there, but she was never weakened by it. When the haunting memories were particularly strong in her mind, she would even throw herself off of the castle wall. But nothing had any effect. It didn't even hurt.

She forgot physical pain. She forgot being without emotional pain.

Eventually, she gave up entirely. She sat on a secluded edge and watched the sun go by every day. Okari was like a statue. The broken heart hung from her neck eternally. Her depression was so deep that she wouldn't think.

Only memories could pass through her mind. But even those painful images faded away with time. That blonde haired man, those small kids, that smiling man, that red-haired lady and her daughter, that auburn haired lady (her mother?), those people in the white coats, and even that scary man all were forgotten. Even that white-haired boy that she had once loved was forgotten. Her nightmare faded more slowly, however.

She couldn't remember the taste of food, the feel of cool water running down her throat, the feel of grass beneath her feet, the smell of a homemade cake, the sound of the wind. She forgot where she had once been, where she was now, and even being in the castle guard. She even forgot her own name in time. For a long time the only memory that was left was from very long ago, when she stood cold in the rain and holding a teddy bear. When that was forgotten, too, she was completely empty. Only a shell remained.

Her heart had died long ago but it was still beating. Her body never aged. It could have been weeks, months, years, even decades since that day. She had no way of knowing. She didn't perceive anything. She was just _there_, sitting on that ledge, completely ignored by anything that passed by. Some people came by sometimes, but she didn't notice them either. Someone eventually named the place Hallow Bastion, but the sound of the name could never reach her ears.

Then one day, when she was sitting and not even looking at the sky anymore, there was a light. The air in front of her started to glow. She barely comprehended it. Her eyes shifted for the first time in a long time and stared at the light. The light pressed together and took the shape of a human. Then slowly someone materialized in front of her from that light. She stared at the person for what seemed like hours before she remembered the words to describe this person.

It was a teenage girl that couldn't have been more than fourteen. She was tall for her age, though, very tall and slender and wearing white robes. Long straight blonde hair reached her backside and short bangs tickled her forehead. High cheekbones adorned her face pale face and rosy cheeks. Her mouth was made for smiling and small, round, light blue eyes stared right back at her.

She wanted to say something one word came to mind. She slowly remembered how to form it on her lips and to use her throat to carry out the sound.

"Hi," she croaked. Her throat was not used to speaking and her mouth was stiff from not moving for so long.

"Hello," said the girl. "You seem like you have a lot of sadness, Okari."

Okari? Was that her name? Suddenly, every memory she had rushed back to her. The force was overwhelming and tears ran down her cheeks. The girl frowned and crouched down to be at Okari's eye level.

"What's wrong? Do you remember now?" she asked, concerned. Okari nodded. Her tears subsided and she prepared herself to say something.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Erona. I've come to take you away from here and to start you off on your new life," she said. When she spoke, she enunciated every letter.

"What new life?" Okari mumbled. "There's no life."

Erona held out her hand to her. "You still have a lot of time ahead of you. If you take my hand then everything will be explained." Okari stared at the hand.

"Nothing can be done for me. All I wished was to leave this life, but I couldn't even do that," said Okari hoarsely.

Erona stood up, her hand still outstretched towards Okari, and scowled. "Fine! Be that way. Just sulk forever! I'm giving you a _chance_. If you would've just taken my hand, I would have taken you to her. But _no_, you have to stay here and be empty, and in even more pain because you remembered. I'm giving you a chance to regain your life and live a new one, and maybe get your old life back! But I guess there's no use, huh? Not even bothering to take a chance, once in a lifetime. What'll come out of trying to get back to normal? I guess just sitting there is much better," she yelled.

Surprisingly, Erona had a quick temper. But the truth struck Okari. This might be the only chance she would ever get. Almost anything would be better than sitting here forever. Erona started to turn around and leave.

"Wait," said Okari. Erona turned back to her abruptly.

"Well?"

"I'm going with you," she said. The scowl left Erona's face and she smiled. Okari reached out and took her hand.

Erona floated upwards, brining Okari with her.

"Let's go see her," said Erona.

"Who?" asked Okari.

"The other me."

Erona began to glow and she and Okari disappeared into the light.


	12. The Goddess

Chapter 12: The Goddess

Erona led Okari through the light. Okari couldn't see through it, but she felt Erona's hand tightly clenched onto her own. After a while they came out of the light and landed in a room.

It was a huge room, twice as large as the throne room back at the castle. The ceiling and floor were made of marble. The ceiling was of the purest white, while the floor was light grey. The walls were covered with mirrors. The walls themselves were the same color as the ceiling, but mirrors of every size and shape hung on them. Some had fancy expensive frames, cheap frames, or no frames at all. One mirror was three–dimensional and shaped like a prism, so all of the light in the room that hit it caused rainbows to spill across the floor. Some mirrors were clouded, and some mirrors were so clear that you could see more details of yourself than any eye could. One mirror really caught Okari's attention.

It was large and round and its frame was polished bronze in a wiry pattern. But instead of reflecting even the area they were in, it was grey and cloudy, except for the places where Erona and Okari were supposed to be reflected. Instead of reflecting their bodies, there were masses of colored, moving light. Erona's light was even whiter than the ceiling and barely moved at all. Okari's light was the same shade of silver as her eyes, but it writhed and wrenched uncontrollably like a caged animal.

"What's that mirror?" Okari asked, pointing to it. Erona glanced at it and smiled.

"That's the Aura Mirror. It shows people's energy. Interesting, huh? I've never seen an aura like yours before, though. It's so violent, I'd never realize by just looking at you," she explained.

"Why is your aura barely moving at all?" asked Okari.

"I guess that's because I'm a fragment of somebody else. I'm not exactly human because I'm tied to the person who created me. If those ties were unraveled, however, I'd be an actual human. But I know I belong with her."

"The other you?"

"Yeah," said Erona. "She should be coming soon… Ah, here she comes now!"

In the center of the room a large, intricate white marble throne appeared. Light came from it and the light took the shape of a human and faded away, leaving a person behind. But it was unlike any person she had ever seen. It was a woman with long wavy auburn hair that reached her ankles. Sunny-yellow eyes peered down at them regally. She was very tall: she even towered over them sitting on the throne. She was clothed in white billowy robes similar to Erona's. On her forehead was a small image of a white heart.

"Hello, Okari. I am Lakite, goddess of the realm of light. There is much to be explained to you. If you have any questions at all, I will answer them," said the lady.

Okari blinked then looked around. When she saw the Aura Mirror, Lakite's refection was so bright and white and thrashing that she had to look away to avoid blinding herself.

"What is this place?" Okari asked.

"This is the realm of light, Kingdom Hearts. I rule over this realm, but I am not even known by anyone outside. From the outside, Kingdom Hearts can look different. In the worlds of twilight or nothingness, it will look like a large heart-shaped moon in the sky. In the world of darkness, it will look like a huge door," she explained.

"Worlds?" Okari wondered aloud.

"There are three, or sometimes four, states of being a world can be in. In the galaxy your people travel in, on what you would call gummi ships, is the world of light. However, two other worlds are intervening. If this continues, nothingness and darkness will make their own worlds in the light. The four worlds are light, twilight, darkness, and nothingness. Usually nothingness is skipped over because it is little known. Because it is nothing, nothing inhabits it except for my brother. But now a new being of nothingness has arisen, but it is still a denizen of twilight."

"You have siblings?"

"Yes, three; they are the rulers of their realms. My sister, Keltia, rules over twilight, my brother, Ekalti, rules over darkness, and my other brother, Aketil, rules over nothingness."

Okari bit her lip in hesitation, but then asked, "Can you tell me what's been happening to me and why these terrible things have happened?"

Lakite's expression turned grim. "In order to explain how those things happened, we must go back and talk about your parents. There was once a young woman named Sulis. She was a very kind and beautiful girl that came from a middle-classed family. One night at a festival that honored the moon, she met a man. He was very handsome and his skin was as pale as the moonlight and he had black hair that was darker than the night sky. Enchanted, Sulis walked up to him and spoke with him. She fell deeply in love.

"Soon, they were married and Sulis realized that they had a child coming. But, Sulis, so deeply in love with him and so overjoyed by the new life that was coming, didn't realize that one by one her family members were disappearing. One day she went over to the family house and no one was there." Lakite paused. She leaned forward and touched Okari's forehead. A new memory played in her head.

_A woman, who she recognized as her mother, stood inside of an empty house and worriedly stroked her swollen belly. A figure appeared in a doorway. When her mother looked at the figure, she was overcome with joy and walked to him and right into his arms. He was dressed completely in black and shadows hid his face from view._

"_Oh, this place has never been empty. Do you know where my family is?" she asked. He broke their embrace._

"_I thought you knew. They are dead."_

_Her mother looked blankly at him at first, but soon horror slowly crossed her face. _

"_Dead?" she squeaked. Her eyes filled with tears. "How could I not know? How did they die?" she asked frantically._

_He stepped from the shadow and his face was exposed to the light. His silver eyes glinted._

"_I killed them."_

The vision ended. Okari was shocked: that man looked so similar to her that it seemed like he was a male version of herself.

"That was my father," she said. It was not a question. "What just happened?"

"I gave you a vision, a memory fragment of your story. Well, Sulis discovered what he actually was. He was a denizen of darkness. Even more than that, he was the lord of darkness, which is only one step lower than the god of darkness. Although my brother never intended this, the lord of darkness was also a deceivingly cruel person. Never for one moment did he show remorse. He had never loved Sulis. This broke her heart and she ran away from him. My brother and I then located him and captured him.

"He was returned to the world of darkness. My brother never allowed him to leave the dark world again. He was dangerous and he had already caused deaths in the world of light. Now our worries were set on Sulis' unborn child. A lord had never had a child with someone from a different realm before. When you were born you looked overwhelmingly like your father, on the outside _and_ the inside. The only traits that you had taken from your mother's side were your eyes and your personality. My brother and I worried which world you would belong in. The closest thing you were born as was in twilight, but really you didn't belong anywhere.

"Your heart was steeped in darkness, but you had a disposition found commonly in people of light. Those are a few of the many factors that made you… unusual. Thankfully, you didn't seem to inherit any of your father's powers when you were born. But then something unexpected happened. The lord of darkness forced his way out and escaped back to the world of light. He found your mother." She paused again and touched Okari's forehead to give her another vision.

_On a dark night, her mother slept in her bedroom. The sound of rain hitting the roof was clearly heard. A person veiled by shadowy robes walked in and stopped by her bed. She woke up with a start. She saw the robed person and gasped in surprise and horror. But her face quickly turned serious._

"_I knew you would come back someday," she said._

_The robed man removed his hood, revealing himself to be the man she once loved._

"_You truly are an idiotic woman."_

"_What?" Her hand slipped underneath her pillow._

"_Should I explain in detail?" he asked sarcastically. She frowned and kept her eyes fixed on him._

"_Go ahead. Do what you want. But I have a little girl to take care of, _our _little girl, and she needs a mother," she said._

"_What might be our daughter's name?"_

"_Okari," she stated proudly._

_He laughed; something she had never seen him do. She didn't see what was so funny._

"'_Okari.' In the ancient language that means 'home'. If she's our child then she has no home. She won't belong anywhere, sad, isn't it? It's so ironic."_

_She glared at him and her hand tightened on something underneath her pillow. _

"_Now what will I do once I kill you?" he continued. Her eyes widened. "Will I take her and—"_

"_Don't touch her!" she snarled. From underneath her pillow she pulled out a large kitchen knife which she pointed at him threateningly. He didn't even flinch._

"_I won't. She has done nothing to me. You, however…" In one swift movement he was suddenly on top of her, pinning her to the mattress. She closed her eyes and swung the knife at him to defend herself. There was a 'thunk' of the knife hitting flesh and she saw that she had stabbed him in the neck. Thick black blood slowly trickled from the wound and soaked into the black robes. The knife was still embedded in him, but he ignored it._

"_Do you really think you can kill me?" he said, amused. He leaned forward until the knife protruding from his neck pushed into her shoulder. She was paralyzed with fear and her face went pale. He wrapped his hands around her neck and began to choke her. _

_She tried frantically to get oxygen and her hands finally moved to her attacker's hands and tried to pry them off. He leaned forward more until he placed his lips on hers. Her green eyes shot open with shock. He deepened the kiss and her body wrenched underneath him with pain. Tears streamed out of her eyes. He steadily deepened the kiss and squeezed her neck more tightly. He kept it up until she went limp. He slowly released her body. _

"_Goodbye, Sulis," he whispered while tenderly stroking her cold dead cheek. _

_He stood up and slipped back into the shadows and disappeared just as he had come. She was left on the bed with her eyes wide open in frozen terror and visible marks on her neck. A small figure appeared in the doorway._

"_Mommy?"_

Okari came out of this vision in tears. She fell onto the ground and cried. Erona crouched down and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and she frowned in sympathy.

"Why?" Okari asked. She slowly calmed down. Then she remembered that the same thing happened in her nightmare, except that was with Xehanort and her. She touched her lips in the painful memory of the acid kiss. "My father killed my mother. Why did he do that?" she asked.

"We gods are attuned to emotions of the people we watch over. In the light world Radiant Garden, peace and happiness reign. Most people can live nearly perfect lives with little strife and surrounded by beauty. Few people have strong emotions of horror and such. When your father ran away from the world of darkness to live in the world of light my brother, Ekalti, and I began to search for him in Radiant Garden. However, your father made it so he would be undetectable by us. We could only capture him by a chance encounter while looking down at the world, which would probably take years. Ekalti had a theory that would shorten the time the search would take.

"He believed that with your father's violent and cruel tendencies, horror would eventually strike the hearts of the sensitive people of light in Radiant Garden. So we searched through people's emotions and followed wherever we found horror. When Sulis learned that her husband had killed her family and ran away, such horrible fear welled up inside her that it flashed like a beacon to us. We then found and captured your father.

"The first time he had come to the world of light was because he found the darkness boring. Although the lifestyle was not suited to him, he found life in the light was very amusing. He was like a child in a giant playground with piles of toys. And when the toys were pulled away from him, he had a tantrum. Ekalti restrained him and never allowed him to leave the World of Darkness again.

"But your father was set on revenge to kill your mother, because she had taken away his fun. He put the blame on her because even someone of his power couldn't touch us gods, who had captured him. This time, he forced his way out of the dark world, almost breaking the fabric between our worlds. He reached Radiant Garden and killed your mother. Ekalti was furious. Almost immediately he seized your father and decided to give him no more chances.

"He decided to trap him in a dark prison, hidden in the depths for eternity. Your father resisted and he attacked Ekalti, the God of Darkness. The one who had created him, the source of all darkness. And in his anger, he gained enough power to harm Ekalti. That was a deplorable crime. If Ekalti had died, the entire universe would have fallen into ruin. It took both Ekalti and me to restrain him. Then Ekalti sentenced him to a fate worse than death. He cut off your father's left hand as punishment for daring to even attack him. He took his heart and chained him to the prison. He took his flesh away and kept life in the bones that were left. Then he sealed the prison and tucked it away where no one could find it. Your father was trapped in eternal imprisonment, in eternal agony. And that is where he is now."

A heavy silence fell on the room. A few minutes later, Okari spoke.

"I know what he did was unforgivable, but that punishment is terrible. No one should go through that."

Lakite smiled. "You have a kind and honest heart, Okari. That's very good. But some believed that he deserved worse."

Okari winced. "So how did he cause all the terrible things that have happened to me?"

"You had inherited hidden powers from your father that we could not sense. They were unleashed when the darkness of your heart was tampered with. Xehanort and his followers were researching the darkness of the heart and used live subjects. You were one of their test subjects. That's why people were disappearing a few years ago. All of the test subjects were turned into monsters by the result of Xehanort's experiments. The dark creatures you encountered were failed test subjects. You were the only one who was different.

"Tampering with your heart unleashed a defensive reflex in which you escaped with your heart intact and left Xehanort and his followers with no memory of the event. The anesthesia they had used on you also erased any memory of it. You unconsciously walked outside of the laboratory, where you awoke and kept going with your life. However, the experiment had unlocked on your heart's darkness. That nightmare was the process of turning the key to that lock. The darkness overwhelmed the light you had from your mother and all signs of her in you had all but vanished. Your eyes turned silver, like your father's. Your body was in a very strange state.

"Darkness took over your body, shutting out almost all of what was left of your light. You still acted the same as always, but inside was a different matter. The ultimate result was that your body was a cage of darkness around your heart. Nothing from the world of light could do you bodily harm. That's why you survived that fall. It also meant that your body wouldn't age and wouldn't let your heart leave your body, and therefore you could not die. Once I had figured out what had happened to you, I sent Erona to bring you here and here you are."

Okari stared at the floor and let the truths sink in. It was awhile before she asked another question.

"What will happen to me now?"

Lakite stood up. She was taller than Okari had thought. Okari was a tall woman, but she had to look up to meet her eyes, like a child.

"You have two choices. I may take your life now, and you will be in no more pain. Your heart will join others in Kingdom Hearts and you will be at peace and never worry about what you could have done or what you will do. Your second choice is to become the Lord of Light. I am currently lacking one. If you take this path, you will be able to complete the story of your life. You will be in more pain, maybe more than ever before, but you will be able to piece together the rest of the puzzle of your life. And perhaps you will see those that you hold dear again."

Okari looked up at her and chose her path without hesitation.

"Should there even be any question?"


End file.
